Falling Fast
by Major Riza Hawkeye
Summary: What happens when Botan's time as a ferrywoman runs out and rather than doing on to rest in peace, chooses a mortal life and the title of Spirit Detective. Koenma calls in a fox and a fire demon, but will they train her in much more than fighting?
1. Ch 1 Meeting

Ch. 1- Meeting

Kurama sighed as he walked down the road towards the forest. He had received a summons that morning from Botan asking him to meet her in the clearing of the forest. He was almost certain that Hiei had been summoned as well. He wondered what she could need and hoped that nothing was wrong. He blinked. He had reached the forest's edge without his knowledge. With another small sigh, he put his hands in the pockets of his jacket, and walked into the trees.

Botan paced back and forth near a clump of trees at the edge of one side of the clearing where she had asked Hiei and Kurama to meet her. She bit her lip and looked up at the slowly darkening sky, expecting Hiei to show up there, looking annoyed.

"What did you want?" a voice called from above her. She jumped and looked up at the tree she stood under and smiled as her eyes fell upon Hiei.

"Good day to you too," she said. "I'll wait until Kurama arrives. I don't want to repeat myself."

"But if you do, we get to hear your pretty voice longer," came a soft voice from the trees.

Botan jumped again and sighed with relief as Kurama showed through the trees. As soon as he reached her, Botan punched him on the arm.

"Don't do that!"

Kurama laughed and leaned against the tree Hiei sat in.

"Why not? It's always a joy to see how you react," he said. Hiei raised a brow and looked from Botan to Kurama, understanding. It was obvious that Kurama liked Botan (though he couldn't see why) and he had a strong belief that she liked the fox just as much, though neither would ever tell the other, nor have knowledge of the other's liking. He groaned slightly. If this was a summons for something that Koenma needed he would have to deal with the two of them, especially if they found out their feelings were mutual. He couldn't take that. He would have to ambush any chance the got to be alone.

"What did you want, Botan?" he asked, as Kurama laughed as Botan punched him again. The fox grabbed her hand as she went to hit him again and their eyes met, a silence falling between them.

Damn, Hiei thought, it's already begun.

Botan blushed slightly as Kurama smiled warmly at her. Hiei was grateful when the briefcase Botan had brought, rung.

"Oh, Koenma," she said.

"Good, we'll finally find out why you asked us here," Hiei said.

Botan glared at him and opened the briefcase, showing a screen on which a brown haired toddler with a pacifier in his mouth looking at them.

"Hiei, Kurama," he said. "Thank you for coming. We have a bit of a predicament."

"Why bother us then? Shouldn't you be talking to Yusuke? He is your Spirit Detective," Hiei snapped.

"Actually," Botan said. "He's not."

Hiei narrowed his eyes at her and Kurama stood up straight, concern in his eyes.

"What do you mean he's not? What happened?"

"No, nothing like that," Koenma interjected. "Yusuke has decided to retire and finish the rest of his life in peace. He's helped us so much that we had to give him what he wished; we owed him that at least. But now we have to train a new spirit detective."

"And that's where we come in," Kurama stated, beginning to understand.

"Why us? Why should we help you?" Hiei asked.

"You're right. You don't have to, and that's why I'm asking."

"We'll help," Kurama said. Hiei crossed his arms, but didn't object. "When will we meet the new Spirit Detective?"

"Well, you've already met her," Koenma said.

"We've met… her?" Hiei replied slowly, but Kurama grinned and looked from the screen to the blue-haired, red-faced ferrygirl that stood beside him.

"You know this could take awhile, Koenma," he said. Hiei's eye's widened in comprehension.

"Wait… her?" he asked, pointing at Botan, who nodded slowly.

"Yes, you see we needed someone soon but it takes a long time to find someone suitable for the job. Botan volunteered."

Hiei jumped to the ground and pointed at Botan, who cowered though she was a head taller than him.

"Fighting is no joke. It's hard work and there is much pain and despair involved. It is not a simple task to head into blindly. Why don't you just go back to your soul taking?"

A tear fell down her cheek and her shoulders shook with silent emotion.

"I-I can't," she whispered, looking down. Hiei looked to Kurama, who was looking worriedly at the girl, and then the two looked at Koenma.

"I would rather she explain it herself," he said and with a pop, the screen went black and the briefcase closed with a snap.

"Botan, what's going on?" Kurama asked softly, placing his hands on her shoulders and making her look up at him. "Your time's ended, hasn't it?"

Botan looked into his eyes and nodded. Hiei's intake of breath told her that he had understood as well.

It was the blessing, or the curse, of every ferrywoman. Once the ferrywoman reached a certain age, her service was complete and she would move on to her place in the spirit world. It would be just as if she died. Though, every so often, events happened that gave the ferrywoman a choice. In this case, the need for a Spirit Detective was one such event. Rather than going on to rest in peace, she chose mortality and the job that would allow her to live among her friends.

"And so you are mortal?" Hiei asked. Botan nodded.

"I am, though I have the same spirit energy that was Yusuke's. He passed it to me. The experience… not one I want to relive."

She shuddered involuntarily and rested her head on Kurama's shoulder before moving away, realizing what she'd done.

"S-Sorry," she said, and Kurama laughed.

"No problem, I understand," he said, giving her a hug. "You've been through a lot. Maybe you should rest. Do you know where you'll stay?"

She mumbled something that he couldn't hear.

"Sorry, didn't catch that."

"I was wondering if I could stay with you," she repeated. Kurama blinked and then smiled, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I'm sure that won't be a problem," he said. "My mother won't mind, I'm sure."

Botan smiled.

"Thank you, Kurama," she said. "And thank you both for helping me."

"Hn. Tomorrow we start training. I won't be easy on you just because you're a girl. We meet here from now on," Hiei said and flashed away. Botan raised a brow.

"Alrighty then," she said. She then realized that Hiei's departure left her alone with Kurama.

If there was anything that the meeting told her, it was that she was falling for Kurama, and falling fast.


	2. Ch 2 Attraction

Ch.2- Attraction

"This'll be your room while you're here with us," Kurama's mother said, smiling. "What did you say your name was again, dear?"

"Botan, ma'am," Botan said, smiling back.

"Such a pretty name for such a pretty girl," the older woman said. "Once Shuichii brings up your suitcase you can put your things in the closet and dresser. Then you can rest before dinner."

She left just as Kurama reached the door. She pulled him to the side and Botan heard her telling him, "She's a sweet girl. You don't have to explain why she needs a place to stay, but I expect you to be a perfect gentlemen while she's a guest in our house."

Botan busied herself with opening the window and looking out. Kurama came in, his mother having gone downstairs to start dinner, and placed her briefcase-turned-suitcase on the bed. His face was slightly pink and he adverted his eyes from hers. She did the same.

"Thank you," she said. "I'll unpack and meet you downstairs."

"No, unpack and rest," he said.

"I'm fine, but I may lie down for a few."

"Alright, see you at dinner."

He turned to leave but stopped as the ex-ferrywoman called back.

Going to him, Botan threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. He stiffened but hugged her back.

"Thank you, Kurama," she said. "Thanks again, for everything."

Kurama relaxed and patted her on the back.

"It's nothing. I'd do anything to help a friend."

She smiled up at him before pulling away and making her way to the bed, opening the suitcase, which now contained normal clothes and accessories. She bustled around, putting the stuff away.

Kurama left, his emotions and thoughts running haywire, having now way to sort them out.

One thing he knew for certain: he liked Botan, and as far more than just a friend.

Botan left her room and headed down the hallway looking at the pictures on the wall as she headed for the stairs. She grinned as her eyes fell on many pictures of a small redheaded boy as he grew in life, and finally, at the end of the hallway, her gaze fell on the most recent picture of the boy, which Botan figured to be taken no more than a half a year ago. She sighed as she ran her fingers over Kurama's face on the glass.

Who was she kidding? He'd never be interested in an ex-ferry girl-turned-mortal.

She turned onto the stairs and descended, looking around as she reached the bottom.

She heard voices in the room to the left through the living room and found herself in a kitchen where Kurama stood at the stove stirring a pot as his mother cut up vegetables. They had been talking about her, she knew, because the moment they saw her, they grew silent.

"Oh, dear," Kurama's mother said. "I thought you were asleep."

"I'd like to help with dinner, if that's alright."

"Of course, it's alright," she said and smiled. She pulled out another cutting board and knife, setting them across from hers on the island. She then pointed at the pantry.

"There is a package of bread in there that you can cut up and put in this," she said and pulled out a bread bowl.

Botan smiled and headed to the pantry grabbing the loaf of bread, opening and placing it on the cutting board. She struck up a conversation with the older woman as the proceeded in cutting.

"I'll set the table," Botan offered when she placed all the bread in the bowl and took the cutting board and knife to the sink. Shuichii, would you help Botan set the table as I set out the food?"

Kurama smiled at Botan when she looked up at him.

"Of course, mother," he said. He gestured for Botan to come to him and when she did, he opened the cabinet above them and handed her three bowls and then got out three cups. He then pointed at the drawer below which Botan opened and took out three spoons while he went to the fridge and got the fruit juice.

Together they set the table in the dinning room and once his mother had the food on, the sat—Botan ending up in the seat across from Kurama and next to his mother. Kurama served her and his mother before he served himself. They ate quietly, seldom talking, and sighing happily as the finished, stomachs full.

Botan stood to clear away the dishes but was stopped by a hand on her arm—Kurama's mother—and she sat back down as Kurama stood and took the dishes away to the kitchen. Botan turned to his mother.

"Botan, I trust my son and I trust you, but if either of you are tempted to do anything under this roof, I ask you to think responsibly."

Botan blushed but nodded, silently wondering, as Kurama rejoined them, if she would do anything to stop him if Kurama were to ever try something.

As he smiled at her, she looked down, her cheeks hot, and knew instantly that she would not.


End file.
